St. Peter’s. Hey, remember that team?
The Eagles are the defending Class AA Archdiocesan champions and a CHSAA state Class AA finalist from a year ago. They are 15-1, their only loss coming to Archbishop Wood (Pa.), and easily handled Archbishop Molloy and Francis Lewis recently. Unlike defending state Federation Class AA champion St. Michael Academy, Christ the King and Bishop Ford, there has not been much buzz around St. Peter’s. It has just quietly gone about its business.
“Maybe it is because people think Staten Island is a million miles away,” longtime Eagles coach Bob Daggett said. “We are still part of New York City and I think we are one of the best teams in the city. [Ford coach Mike] Toro thinks [his] is one of the best teams in the country from what I read. I’ll be happy to be one of the best teams in the city.”
There isn’t any doubt about that. But a favorite to make their first ever trip to Glens Falls? You bet.
There are two things that make the Eagles special and a star player isn’t one of them. They are the most balanced team in the city and its best day in and day out in their execution.
Sure, they have Colgate-bound forward Catherine Lewis, who can light up any gym when she is on, and Pace-bound forward Victoria Jones. She can be a handful for any front line. Ashley Motrechuk is a versatile and underrated center. Even so, junior guard Christine Kline and sophomore Jamie O’Hare have been the squad’s most consistent players. The two play with sprite-like speed and agility and the toughness of a centaur. They are pesky on defense and have arguably been the best backcourt in the city.
“Chris knows how to set everybody up and where to give them the ball,” Lewis said. “Jamie, she can get to the hoop, shoot from the outside. She gets after it.”
Daggett is one of the best coaches in the five boroughs. He is in the top three in my opinion. His Eagles ran circles around the usually stingy Francis Lewis defense at the John F. Kennedy Challenge last Sunday. They make the extra pass, hit the cutter and keep teams honest from the perimeter.
Daggett stands on the sideline, towel over his shoulder calling out plays like he is Charlie Weis, during the Patriots years: “Hook, 50, Over, High Low, 55 Fake.” Assistant coach and wife Pat Daggett, might as well get him a color-coated laminated card and the players wrist bands for every game. All joking aside, the guy is good and gets the most of out of his team. St. Peter’s has all the pieces to give teams like CK, Ford and St. Mike’s fits.
So why have the Eagles gone a bit unnoticed?
Staten Island is down both in the CHSAA and PSAL. The Eagles have won their league games by an average of 23 points, including a double-digit victory over their closest rival Moore Catholic. Notre Dame Academy, St. John Villa and St. Joseph by the Sea all have losing overall records. St. Joseph Hill is a respectable 9-6.
Their non-league slate, at least against city teams, has not been great. St. Peter’s played Thomas Jefferson, Molloy, and Bishop Loughlin. Molloy is under .500, Loughlin is still searching for its first win and Jefferson is not what it has been. The Eagles do have two solid wins from the Marist HS Christmas tournament and victories over Manhattan Center and Lewis, both good PSAL clubs. South Shore and Kellenberg are on the docket for February. All this while Bishop Ford, CK and St. Mike’s play nationally ranked clubs and CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens is by far the best league in the city right now.
“I guess they get more attention because they get more key games that people want to go see and know who wins,” Kline said.
Added Lewis: “I think it has to do with the league that Christ the King and Bishop Ford play in, but I think we can play with all three of those teams.”
No argument here.